Wednesday, April 05, 2017

THE FAMILY

“The family, the
natural community in which human social
nature is experienced, makes a unique and irreplaceable contribution to the
good of society.” (OVC: Social Doctrine of the Church, Chap. 13, 67, c)

On the occasion of the recent loud accusations and counter
accusations of marital infidelity, concubinage, and the like happening
particularly among those in tenure of power, wealth and influence, it might be
good to recall and remember, to understand and observe certain essential
elements or substantive implications of the family as a basic human unit in
society. Among other realities, it is
not simply good but also necessary to call to mind and understand the following
fundamental truths in the order of nature and their significance in the realm
of the spirit:

1. The family is a “natural community.”

Just as it is nature that makes a man and a woman not only
fall in love with one another but also makes them decide to be together for
life, it is also nature that makes the couple bring about their children. And it is nature too that makes the father,
the mother, and the children together, a natural community that is one in joys
and sorrows, in laughter and tears.

2. The family is
where “human social nature is
experienced.”

It all begins with a man and a woman naturally becoming
attracted to one another as complementary individuals, thereafter naturally
deciding to consummate their social nature as partners in union for life, and
finally as a matter of fact, impart their socio-ethical values to their children. More.
It is in the family that a husband/father and wife/mother and their
children experience – intimately realized, continuously lived and vividly
realized – their one and united social human nature.

3. The family makes a
“unique and irreplaceable contribution to
society.”

The family is where children are born, where they grow and
where they learn what is right or wrong actuation, what is good or bad behaviour
– in the sense that good is done and evil is shunned. This formal opportunity that inculcates the
proper value system in a domestic community, is an irreplaceable occasion for
developing the proper social behaviour of individuals – and of thus making them
assets to society. There is nothing like
the family – in addition to different sound educational institutions of various
teaching levels – that molds the social nature of children from childhood to
the age of majority. The only
indispensable requirement therein is that the parents not only teach but also
live the good, the proper and just social values they impart to their children.

Otherwise, when parents simply say/do what they want – right
or wrong, virtuous or vicious such as gross violation of nothing less than
their marriage vows – their own children are the very first ones who suffer from such ethical deformation
and immoral value system.

Oscar Cruz

About The Blogger

Most Reverend Oscar V. Cruz, D.D. is the Archbishop-Emeritus of Lingayen-Dagupan. He is currently the Judicial Vicar of the National Tribunal of Appeals. He is a prolific writer, having published several dozen books mostly on judicial and moral matters. His most recent book is about the Social Doctrines of the Church. He also has a blog where he posts regularly. He is an avid coin collector and dabbles in woodworking art.